Sholeh Zard

Ingredients

• 200g short-grain or jasmine rice
• 1.9 litres water
• 400g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground saffron
• 60ml rosewater
• 60g butter
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 40g slivered almonds
• 3 tbsp slivered pistachios
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Dried rose petals, to finish

Before you cook

• Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear.
• Bloom the saffron in 4 tablespoons of just-boiled water and leave it to steep.
• Boil the water in a kettle so it is ready to go into the pan hot.

Steps

1. Put the rinsed rice into a wide heavy pan with 1.4 litres of the boiling water.
2. Bring it back to a boil, then lower the heat to a bare simmer.
3. Cook uncovered for 1 hour 15 minutes without stirring, until the grains have burst and the mixture is thick and sticky.
4. Add the remaining 500ml of boiling water along with the sugar.
5. Stir over medium-low heat for 10 minutes as the sugar dissolves and the pudding loosens.
6. Stir in the butter, the bloomed saffron and the cardamom.
7. Cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring often to stop it catching, until it thickens enough to leave a trail behind the spoon.
8. Stir in the rosewater and the slivered almonds and cook for 2 minutes more.
9. Pour the pudding into a wide shallow dish or into individual bowls.
10. Let it cool to room temperature, then chill it for at least 1 hour until fully set.
11. Dust the surface with cinnamon, in stripes or a pattern if you like.
12. Scatter the pistachios and rose petals over the top just before serving.